Newest Addition...

Our journey to a dog started a long time ago.  

It started with an agreement and a puppy jar.

Yes, I was finally ready to get a dog.

They had all been waiting for me.

Well, over the year that little jar filled up.

Every coin and bill they had was stuffed into the jar.

They kept filling the jar, counting it up, 

and tucking it into our secret spot.

They filled that jar many many times, and raised 257 dollars.

Then, we waited for a dog to steal our hearts.

Saturday night I made a call to an add on Facebook:

Golden Retriever Puppies

Two hours later we were sitting in a kitchen, with new friends, cuddling their adorable puppies.

And one stole our hearts.

Completely stole our hearts.

So we left that night, blessed by Maria and Carl, with a puppy.

Now he was our puppy.

Bullet Doyle.

Now he's just one of us.

And when Bullet wants to go for a walk we all go for a walk.

When Bullet wants to stop,

we all stop.

When Bullet is tired,

everyone is tired.

He is one smart dog.

He knows how to magically make little boys 

want their picture taken.

Well, except for  one little boy in the back row who is sad cause HE wanted to hold the puppy.

Bullet already knows where the 

best seat in the house is to get a free snack.

And he knows he is completely loved.

Welcome home Bullet.

Valentine Box Day!

It's Valentine Party Day at School.

All the big kid's boxes were ready to roll.

Annie's 

Bo's

Rocco's

Roo was feeling a little left out and asked for a box.  

He wanted a pig.

So we went to work.

 And we whipped out a pig in 5 minutes flat.

And he loves that little pig like you wouldn't believe.

When the big kids will come home with their boxes full 

 Roo is hoping they will fill up his little pig.  

The only thing better than a new

Valentine Box is one stuffed with treats!

Click the links below to see how we made the boxes:

Snake Box Directions

Hamster Box Tips

Tarantula Box Directions

Hamster Valentine Box Tips

Annie's Hamster Valentine Box

Tips

I know what you are thinking,

"That's a hamster?!  I thought it was a cat!"

But my girl wanted a hamster box.

So it's a hamster.  

Trust me it looked like a hamster in my head before we started.  

 Lucky you, you can now make a hamster OR a cat!

It's just paper Mache & slap on fur, so

there really aren't "directions" just some tips.

2 days needed.

The most helpful tip is what we papered over.

We stuffed 2 gallon ziplocs full of paper towels and duct taped them together.

Stuff it good!   It needs to be strong!

Don't worry when you remove them later just stack them up & you can still use them.

Then, they just Paper Mache.

When it is dry cut 3 side of a square (steak knife) to make 

a door flap in the belly & pull out the paper towels.

Use a glue gun to wrap with fur.

The front and back are tricky but you'll get the hang of it...wrap it like a gift, butting the colors up against each other. Start on the top and wrap downwards.  Anywhere the hamster was a little odd shaped we added folded paper towels under the fur to round him out.

Then, add your embellishments,

heart buttons & whiskers stolen from our broom.  

We used fun foam for the eyes & nose.  

Ears cut from fur with longer flaps in the back.

 I just freehand cut her name out of cardstock.

She loves her little hammy.

Even if it does look like a cat.

Snake Valentine Box Directions

Bo's Cobra Valentine Box

Directions

Supplies

 3 copper pipe insulation 

(.97cents a piece)

a metal hanger

spray paint

oatmeal can

hot glue gun

google eyes

cardstock for the tongue

Tape the 2 of the 6 feet lengths of insulation together with packaging tape to make one Loooong strip.

Hot glue the strip around the oatmeal can.

The third strip you will really just use a 

few inches to make the hood.

Fold a metal hanger into thirds and 

shove it down that snakes neck :)

Fold it how you would like!

Then I forgot the picture but also close up the end of the face with a little circle cut from your extra strip.  Just hot glue it in- but leave the bottom unglued until you tuck the tongue later.

The best part for the kids is:

Spray Paint!

(We took 2 coats & picked a shiny paint, CHEAP shiny paint!)

After it dries, glue the eyes & tongue on & you are set!  

Now stuff that snakes belly with some candy!